Page 144 of When Love Takes Root

“Kayden is going to act a fool.”

“I’ll survive.”

“He might ask you for references.”

“I’ll print some.”

I laughed into his chest.

“He might glare.”

“I’ve been glared at by your outlets. I’m prepared.”

I lifted my head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m rooted.”

“You’re something.”

He smiled and kissed my forehead.

His hand returned to my back, moving slowly, steady as rain. I let my eyes close, but sleep didn’t come right away. I was too aware of him. His warmth. His breathing. His body beneath mine, strong and calm and real. Too aware of myself too. The woman who’d walked into his house nervous. The woman who’d woken up in his bed, untouched. The woman who’d chosen him in the morning light and found no shame waiting afterward.

That was what stunned me most.

No shame.

Only tenderness.

Only awe.

Only a trembling gratitude that my heart, stubborn and bruised and dramatic as it was, still knew how to open.

I pressed my lips to his chest.

Josiah’s hand stilled. “You good?”

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

I smiled against his skin. “You’re going to ask me that forever, aren’t you?”

“If forever is on the table, yes.”

My heart tripped.

He kissed the top of my head. “Too much?”

“No.” I rested my hand over his heart. “Just enough to scare me.”

“Then we’ll let it scare us slow.”

I closed my eyes.

Outside, the morning kept rising.

Inside, Josiah held me like I wasn’t too much, not too late, not greedy for wanting love after love had already found me once. He held me like my joy didn’t have to apologize to my grief. Like my body didn’t have to carry shame for remembering pleasure. Like whatever God was growing between us had roots already searching for water.